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    Home » Drinks and Cocktails

    Apple Cider Hot Toddy

    November 16, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    Overview of two apple cider hot toddy with a pot of honey with a spoon and towel on the side on a white countertop. The image also has the text overlay "apple cider hot toddy with honey and whiskey"

    This apple cider hot toddy will warm you up during the cold fall and winter months. Made with honey, apple cider, cinnamon, and bourbon, it tastes just as good as it feels to cozy up with a hot toddy.

    ‘Tis the season for warm beverages. Hot tea, coffee, cocoa, I just can’t get enough. I also like to make a nice hot toddy when I need something extra cozy and boozy.

    My fall allergies were flaring up last week, so I thought an apple cider hot toddy sounded really good. Obviously, it didn’t clear up my allergies (I’ll leave that to my Allegra), but it tasted and felt so good. I love a good hot toddy, not only when I’m feeling poorly, but it makes a great festive cocktail. The first time I had a hot toddy was a few years ago at Thanksgiving. My brother made a round of hot toddies that evening to sip on while watching rest of the Thanksgiving football games.

    Overview of two apple cider hot toddy with a pot of honey with a spoon and towel on the side on a white countertop.

    What is a Hot Toddy?

    Hot toddies have been around for centuries. They’re usually drunk as nightcaps on cold evenings or when someone is feeling under the weather. They’re typically made from whiskey, hot water, and honey as a basic recipe, but I’ve seen variations using apple cider (like mine) or even tea as well.

    Overview of a apple cider hot toddy with an apple slice and cinnamon stick on a white countertop.

    Does a Hot Toddy Help with Cold-like Symptoms?

    There’s no clinical evidence that hot toddies will cure or shorten the common cold or other ailments. There is potential harm in mixing alcohol with certain medications, including those used for cold and flu symptoms. So always check with your doctor or pharmacist before drinking alcohol while on medication. Antidotally, they soothe my symptoms (which could be a placebo), but so do most warm beverages when I’m feeling under the weather. If you have a healthy relationship with alcohol and you’re not taking medications that could interfere, then you do you.

    Ingredients for the Apple Cider Hot Toddy

    Apple cider: Apple cider screams fall and winter, so it’s natural to use to sweeten this hot toddy.   

    Honey: While you could use other sweeteners, there is a tiny amount of evidence that honey may suppress a cough. It is also traditional for a hot toddy recipe to use honey.    

    Bourbon: There are other whiskey types you could use, but I’m a little partial to bourbon. My favorite bourbon is from my favorite local Charleston distilleries – Cannon and High Wire.  

    Cinnamon stick: I like using a cinnamon stick because the bourbon and hot liquid will extract the flavor without overpowering the drink. I wouldn’t use ground cinnamon because it would be too much, and it won’t dissolve very well. You can find cinnamon sticks just about everywhere, but you can also get them on Amazon.

    Two apple cider hot toddies with a pot of honey and spoon on the side with a tea towel on a white countertop.

    How to Make Hot Toddy with Apple Cider

    It’s a simple recipe. You’ll need to heat your apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave. It needs to be hot enough to dissolve honey. After the cider is hot, you can add the honey and pour it into a mug or heatproof cup (one that you won’t burn your fingers when you try to hold it). Then you’ll add the bourbon, cinnamon stick and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water. After stirring, I added a slice of apple, but that’s optional for aesthetics mostly.

    Obviously, you’ll need to cozy up under a blanket and maybe even by the fireside for the complete aesthetic. 😊

    Print

    Apple Cider Hot Toddy

    Apple cider hot toddy with a slice of apple and cinnamon stick with a towel and little jar of honey on the side with a yellow spoon on the side. In the background is another cocktail and sliced apples with a knife on the side.
    Print Recipe
    • Author: Melissa
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 1 serving 1x
    • Category: cocktail

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ½ cup apple cider
    • 2 tsp. honey
    • 1 – 1 ½ ounce of bourbon
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • ¼ – ½ c hot water
    • Apple slices, optional

    Instructions

    1. Heat apple cider on the stovetop or in the microwave to the desired temperature (should be hot enough to dissolve honey). Add honey to apple cider and stir until honey is dissolved.

    2. Pour honey cider mixture into a mug or heatproof cup. Add bourbon, cinnamon stick, and fill the remainder of the cup with hot water (about ¼ -½ cup). Top with an apple slice if using. Stir and serve immediately. 

    Keywords: cocktail, hot toddy, bourbon, honey, drink

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    Tag @melissacooksitall on Instagram and hashtag it #melissacooksrecipes

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    Hi, and welcome! I’m Melissa, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in Charleston, SC that specializes in Intuitive Eating.

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